Patients' chances of undergoing surgery for common medical conditions vary widely depending on whereabouts in England they live, a report claims.

The King's Fund found that rates of admissions for routine procedures such as hip and knee replacements varied by as much as 400 per cent between primary care trusts (PCTs) in 2009-10, while cataract replacement rates varied by 300 per cent.

Its report also reveals that rates of coronary artery bypass grafts varied from just 34 per 100,000 in Westminster to 197 per 100,000 in Berkshire.

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The think-tank warned that many patients may not be getting the surgery they need, while others may be undergoing operations that are unlikely to be beneficial.

Chief economist John Appleby said that variations in rates of common surgical procedures were 'persistent and unwarranted'.

'Remedying this is urgent given the need to improve quality of care while the NHS grapples with the biggest financial challenge in its history,' he pointed out.

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PCT Network director David Stout said there are often reasons for variations between areas.

'For example some variations reflect differences in health needs of the local population due to differences in demographics. Commissioners rightly invest in different services based on these needs,' he explained.

However, he conceded that the NHS needs to identify the difference between 'good' and 'bad' variation.

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